Attorney Adam Zuwerink - West Michigan Law, P.C.

11/14/2024

PSA: If you're a diehard sports fan [pun intended] and don't trust your family members to carry out ALL of your final wishes, it's legal in Michigan to name your college drinking buddy as your Funeral Representative Designee.

And who knows, maybe someday he will get interviewed by ESPN for breaking into Michigan Stadium and spreading your ashes. :)

Superfans are telling their loved ones that they have one request: spread my ashes on the field.

01/31/2024

There are lots of different archetypes in estate planning clients, and one we see regularly in West Michigan is the potential client who needs to know the monetary value of "investing" in an estate plan. Here is one way to answer that question:

The #1 type of asset going through the probate court process is real estate, and the median home sales price in Ottawa County, Michigan topped $350,000 in 2023. At that value, the probate expenses alone (filing fee, publishing fee, inventory fee, etc.) will run just under $1,000. This doesn't even include any legal fees, or the value of your loved one's time.

But our fees to prepare just the documents necessary to keep real estate out of probate court will cost the typical client less than $1,000, which is why we explain to cost-conscious potential clients that we view the estate planning process as a future investment gift to their beneficiaries.

07/11/2023

It's not every day that the things I think and worry about on behalf of my clients makes front page news. There are so many fascinating details of Aretha Franklin's estate, but maybe one of the most important lessons is why I freak out so much whenever clients start making handwritten notes on their already signed will!

A 2014 document handwritten by Aretha Franklin and found under a couch cushion after her death is a valid will, a jury ruled Tuesday afternoon.

02/06/2023

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of launching my own firm! It's amazing how each year has been better than the one before, and I am at the point now where I have no desire to change anything. Our physical offices in Holland and Muskegon are perfect for our needs, we get to work with amazing clients, and I couldn't ask for a better work partner than Shannon Dykstra. I feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be, and I can't wait for the next 10 years!

The one thing we did change today is our website. Andy and Amanda Mazur with Envigor did an awesome job once again, and I have been recommending their work for 10 years!

https://westmichiganlaw.com

10/31/2022

Potential client: Is getting bit by a zombie on Halloween, so I become part of the undead horde that never dies, an "estate plan"?

Me: I'll allow it.

08/26/2022

Today is National Dog Day! It's been a couple of years since I have been able to personally celebrate this awesome day, but last month my family welcomed Milo into our lives. He's a corgi/terrier mix originally from Tennessee, by way of fostering through Harbor Humane Society, and he is extra fluffy. Now time to update our estate plan and decide who he should go to...

08/04/2022

"Fun is a feeling, not an activity." - Catherine Price

When I created my EOS Core Values a few years ago, the last one I wrote was the very simple "We have fun." I've always thought I knew what I meant by that, but Catherine Price's TED talk absolutely nails the sentiment I was going for. It's not about ping pong tables in the office or firm outings to Michigan's Adventure. It's about an internal feeling of showing up to the office every day with an enjoyment for the work we do, and the people we do it with, that leads to a mindset of trying to creatively solve our client's problems. Stated another way: We take our work very seriously, but not ourselves.

Have you had your daily dose of fun? It's not just enjoyable, it's also essential for your health and happiness, says science journalist Catherine Price. She...

06/07/2022

When petty theft goes horribly, horribly wrong...

Gail Hines, of Austin, kept a series of glass decorations known as “gazing balls” in her front yard for a decade.

06/03/2022

Welcome to Natalie Prestegaard, our newest Hope College intern! I don't know exactly what they are doing over there on campus, but Dr. Ryden and the faculty need to continue it because they keep recommending great students that exceed our expectations.

(She's also a state champion weightlifter, so if we all look stronger at the end of the summer you'll know why. :) ).

04/26/2022

Congrats to our friend Chef Jenna on winning a 2022 Governor's Service Award for her work distributing food and tips during the pandemic! You can find out more about her 501c3 "Food Hugs" and the great work they are doing at: https://www.foodhugs.org/

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12/22/2021

It's been six weeks since we moved into our new office in a building that has been a place of learning and creativity for over 100 years (a HS, MS, GRCC and art studio in the past), and every day that I walk in I am reminded of one of the core values of my law firm - We Are Always Growing Through Learning. There's something about sitting in an office with hardwood floors, high ceilings, giant windows - and chalkboards - that brings with it an ability for me to slow down and think deeply. I'm pretty sure I have read more books in the last 6 weeks than the previous 6 years combined. There's a reason even Superman had a Fortress of Solitude, and I hope everyone can find such a place in their lives as well!